b1Vocabulary Pack

Health & Medicine

Describe symptoms, visit a doctor and talk about staying well.

65 words

English vocabulary

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65 words

Definitions in: English

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1
symptomnounneutral
A sign of illness that a patient notices or feels.
A high fever is a common symptom of the flu.
2
diagnoseverbneutral
To identify an illness after examining a patient.
The doctor diagnosed her with asthma last year.
3
diagnosisnounneutral
The conclusion a doctor reaches about an illness.
We're still waiting for the diagnosis.
4
prescribeverbneutral
When a doctor officially orders medicine for a patient.
The doctor prescribed some antibiotics for my chest infection.
5
examineverbneutral
When a doctor checks a patient's body for problems.
The nurse examined the cut on my hand.
6
surgeonnounneutral
A doctor who performs operations.
The surgeon said the operation went well.
7
specialistnounneutral
A doctor who is an expert in one area of medicine.
My GP referred me to a specialist.
8
pharmacistnounneutral
A person trained to prepare and sell medicines.
Ask the pharmacist which painkiller is best for children.
9
GPnounneutral
General practitioner; a local doctor who treats general illnesses.
I made an appointment to see my GP.
10
waiting roomnounneutral
The room where patients wait before seeing a doctor.
We sat in the waiting room for nearly an hour.
11
wardnounneutral
A large room in a hospital with beds for patients.
She was moved to the children's ward.
12
X-raynounneutral
A photograph of the inside of the body, used to check bones.
The X-ray showed that his arm was broken.
13
vaccinenounneutral
A substance that protects the body against a disease.
There's a new vaccine against the virus.
14
vaccinationnounneutral
The act of giving someone a vaccine to prevent disease.
Make sure your vaccinations are up to date before you travel.
15
antibioticsnounneutral
Medicine used to kill bacteria and treat infections.
The doctor put me on antibiotics for a week.
16
side effectnounneutral
An unwanted result of taking a medicine.
One side effect of these pills is feeling sleepy.
17
dosenounneutral
The amount of medicine to take at one time.
Don't take more than the recommended dose.
18
vomitverbneutral
To bring food back up from the stomach through the mouth.
He felt so ill that he started to vomit.
19
throw upphrasal verbinformal
An informal way to say 'vomit'.
I think I'm going to throw up.
20
nauseanounneutral
The feeling that you are going to vomit.
The medicine can cause nausea and dizziness.
21
sneezeverbneutral
To suddenly blow air out through the nose, often when ill.
The dust made me sneeze.
22
swollenadjectiveneutral
Bigger than normal because of injury or illness.
My ankle is really swollen after the fall.
23
swellingnounneutral
A part of the body that has become larger than normal.
Put some ice on it to reduce the swelling.
24
bruisenounneutral
A purple or blue mark on the skin after a knock.
She had a big bruise on her arm.
25
bleedverbneutral
To lose blood, usually from a wound.
The cut wouldn't stop bleeding.
26
healverbneutral
When a wound or injury gets better and the skin closes.
The wound is healing nicely.
27
scarnounneutral
A permanent mark on the skin left after a wound heals.
He still has a scar from the operation.
28
plasternounneutralBritish English
A small strip you stick over a cut to protect it (British English).
Put a plaster on that cut before it gets dirty.
29
crutchesnounneutral
Sticks that help you walk when you have a leg injury.
He was on crutches for six weeks after the accident.
30
wheelchairnounneutral
A chair with wheels for someone who cannot walk.
After the operation he needed a wheelchair for a while.
31
pregnantadjectiveneutral
Having a baby growing inside the body.
She's six months pregnant.
32
pregnancynounneutral
The time when a woman is expecting a baby.
She felt very tired during her pregnancy.
33
dietnounneutral
The food you usually eat, or a special eating plan for health.
A healthy diet can prevent many illnesses.
34
stressnounneutral
Mental or emotional pressure that can affect health.
Too much stress is bad for your heart.
35
mental healthnounneutral
The condition of a person's mind and emotions.
Exercise is good for your mental health.
36
depressionnounneutral
A medical condition of deep sadness lasting a long time.
He suffered from depression after losing his job.
37
anxietynounneutral
A strong feeling of worry or fear, sometimes a medical condition.
She takes medication for her anxiety.
38
blood pressurenounneutral
The force of blood as it moves through the body.
The nurse checked my blood pressure.
39
pulsenounneutral
The regular beat of blood you can feel, e.g. at the wrist.
The doctor took his pulse.
40
breatheverbneutral
To take air into the lungs and let it out.
The doctor asked me to breathe deeply.
41
out of breathexpressionneutral
Breathing fast and with difficulty after effort.
I was completely out of breath after the stairs.
42
chronicadjectiveneutraltechnical
Describing an illness that lasts a long time or keeps returning.
He has a chronic back problem.
43
contagiousadjectiveneutral
Describing a disease that spreads easily from person to person.
Stay home — the flu is very contagious.
44
first aidnounneutral
Basic medical help given immediately to an injured person.
She gave him first aid until the ambulance came.
45
emergency roomnounneutral
The hospital department for urgent or accident cases (US; UK 'A&E').
We rushed him to the emergency room at midnight.
46
food poisoningnounneutral
Illness caused by eating bad or contaminated food.
I got food poisoning from the seafood.
47
sprainverbneutral
To injure a joint by twisting it suddenly.
I sprained my ankle playing in the garden.
48
faintverbneutral
To suddenly lose consciousness for a short time.
She fainted because of the heat.
49
pass outphrasal verbinformal
An informal way to say 'faint' or lose consciousness.
He passed out when he saw the blood.
50
come down withphrasal verbinformal
To start to suffer from an illness, usually not serious.
I think I'm coming down with a cold.
51
get overphrasal verbinformal
To recover from an illness or difficult experience.
It took me ages to get over that chest infection.
52
under the weatheridiominformal
Feeling slightly ill or not your normal self.
I'm feeling a bit under the weather today.
53
itchyadjectiveneutral
Causing an uncomfortable feeling that makes you want to scratch.
The rash is really itchy.
54
asthmanounneutral
A condition that makes breathing difficult.
She uses an inhaler for her asthma.
55
diabetesnounneutral
A condition in which the body cannot control its sugar levels.
He was diagnosed with diabetes last year.
56
heart attacknounneutral
A sudden, dangerous medical event when the heart stops working properly.
Her grandfather had a heart attack but survived.
57
thermometernounneutral
An instrument used to measure body temperature.
Use the thermometer to check if she has a fever.
58
stitchesnounneutral
Threads a doctor uses to close a deep cut or wound.
The cut was so deep that he needed stitches.
59
physiotherapynounneutral
Treatment that uses exercise and movement to help the body recover.
After the operation he had weeks of physiotherapy.
60
drugnounneutral/clinical
A medicine, or a substance used to treat illness.
This drug is used to lower blood pressure.
61
stressedadjectiveneutral
Feeling worried and under pressure.
I always feel stressed before exams.
62
blow your noseexpressionneutral
To clear mucus from the nose, usually into a tissue.
He kept stopping to blow his nose.
63
Band-AidnounneutralAmerican English
American English word for a small adhesive strip used to cover a cut or graze.
She put a Band-Aid on the cut on her finger.
She covered the cut on her finger with an adhesive strip.
64
A&EnounneutralBritish English
British English term for the hospital unit that treats urgent and emergency cases (Accident and Emergency).
We took him to A&E after he fell down the stairs.
We took him to the emergency unit after he fell down the stairs.
65
physical therapynounneutralAmerican English
American English term for treatment of injury or disability through exercise and movement.
After the operation she needed months of physical therapy.
After the operation she needed months of treatment through exercise.

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Health vocabulary becomes essential the moment you feel unwell abroad, and this pack prepares you for it. Learn to describe symptoms like headache, fever and cough, talk about conditions from sick to healthy, and handle a visit to the doctor or pharmacy. Growing from beginner to advanced, it gives you the words to explain what is wrong and understand the advice you get.